The Queen's Beast
by The-world-needs-peace
Summary: AU/UA Storyline: When she let it go, her curse froze the kingdom, and the people in it. She erected a globe of impenetrable ice, sealing the winter, and herself, inside until the end of her days. But there was another monster with deadly power, coming for the Queen. Perhaps it will take the efforts of a kind young boy to make her see herself as human again.
1. The Beast

In Arendelle's fair kingdom, a ruler did appear. _  
_Born with a secret power so great, alone, she stayed in fear.  
Although the force was hidden, one day she let it go.  
And all the land was covered in eternal ice and snow.

An enchanter to the east, and from a distant age,  
Heard the wish of a tortured beast, consumed by pain and rage.  
She named her price to send him deep inside the dome:  
"Pierce her heart, and seize the crown, or else I'll send you home."

AU/UA Storyline: When she let it go, her curse froze the kingdom, and the people in it. She erected a globe of impenetrable ice, sealing the winter, and herself, inside until the end of her days. But there was another monster that had from a deadly power, suffering much like she. And a single wish will bring them together, for the chance to find joy in living, again.

"What… was that?" There was a twinge of fear in the blonde's tone. "H-Hello…?" Her crystal slippers clicked across the floor of the west wing. Something was watching her. She could feel it. Something dark and unfamiliar to her. Something dangerous. Her breath slowed, blue eyes narrowing nervously. The already broken walls crackled yet again in the silence. "Who's there?!"

This part of the palace was far from the main hall. The usual serene blue light dimmed with her growing fear, and the shadows crawled from each of the six the corners of the room. The only illumination was the tall, arched window overlooking the white mountains. It cast weak light across hexagon floor, and Elsa walked down the dim path to peer out the window, for some hint to the disturbance she felt. She never dreamed to look up, where the demonic crimson gaze of the predator eyed its prey from its perch on the blue molding.

It was starting to snow again, thanks to her. She turned away from the window, and shuffled half heartedly away. Her knuckles turned white as she wrung her hands, bemoaning her paranoia. In the room she glittered like a beacon from the window's light, and the beast's fangs and talons elongated. Her crystal slippers scraped from her dragging shuffle. The insomnia was getting to her now, she was sure.

But as the last of her gossamer cloak retreated into the shadow, the beast launched in a lightning strike. She turned, a startled sound escaped and she quickly stumbled back, hands immediately moving to bring up curling wave of ice. "No!"

The beast answered with a pained yelp. The ice cracked from the force of the collision and the beast tumbled right over the arch, across the floor, all the way to the corner of the room. Elsa stumbled back shaking her head, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"What… Are you?"

The faint sunlight lit the silhouette in the shadows. It was like a massive wolf, but snow frosted across its dark mane and fur, making it hard to distinguish.

"Please… Calm down." She held out her hands as she stepped back, trying to placate the wild beast.

Lips blue with cold pulled back into an open snarl, and fangs and clawed nails glinted as he turned onto his belly. Yet as he crouched, Elsa noted the stiff limbs, and slowed movements. Almost like it was having trouble moving. It winced, and she noted the way one of its paws gingerly touched its head in a surprisingly human movement. But its eyes opened again, piercing the prey with a ravenous crimson gleam, and the young Queen nearly gasped in horror. She grabbed the skirt of her dress and lifted it, dashing for the entryway. The doors slammed open at her command, and she flew down the corridor, the beast close behind.

The hall was dark, but up ahead she could see the faint claret red glow of the palace Heart. Elsa was not a fast runner by any means, but she knew that if she stopped now, she would be doomed. The walls and ceiling crunched in her wake, and each clap of her slippers left behind a panicked spurt of magic that burst in jagged webs, growing like thorny vines behind their queen. The first few shattered like thin glass from the beast barreling after her, but they quickly grew in size and strength. The beast evaded the deadly spires shooting from the once flawless mirrors above and below. It grabbed them and swung around, leaping over and sliding below in a nimble dance of survival. But Elsa did not dare turn to see; instead she focused on the exit.

She threw her hand out, shooting at the top of the entryway. The arched doorframe flashed blue, before a frosted floe formed like a curtain. She tightened her hold on her dress, and sprinted for all she was worth. With a desperate reach, she leaped across the finish line, just as it sealed shut.

The young queen skid across the phosphorescent ice. Her ears grew deaf to her panting, and her racing heart, hearing only the throbbing in her skull. And the sudden bang from the beast striking the blockade. She hurried to her feet, eyes glued to the thick sheet. Her body buzzed, her limbs shook, her eyes were wide at each bang. She nearly gasped at the sudden web of white cracks. Impossible, he couldn't possible break through like that. Another loud bang made her jump, and she rethought her statement.

Claret red shone like a warning on the usually dark grand hall. Her shaking hands went out like terrified little guards, and it was all she could do to keep them steady. The ice broke, a single fist shooting through. The pieces clattered across the floor, even as the thick furry arm pulled back to make room for the second hand to claw and yank at the pieces to make it through.

And then his face peered through the hole to snarl at her, and her horror gave way to shock. Under the illuminating light, she realized the "fur" was a coat, and his "mane" was just long, dark hair, clumped and frozen in frost. The beast didn't really look very… beastly. They looked like a—A boy. "N-No…" It couldn't be a boy. There was nothing human about those eyes or those talons and fangs. Yet the evidence was there.

Whatever or whoever this thing was, she could not bring herself to hurt him. Even if she had to defend herself. She never wanted to hurt anyone yet—yet fate threw her a curve ball and all the people she swore to protect had indeed been hurt. And it was all her fault. But this thing— this boy. Maybe she could think of something. So she took a deep breath.

"Wh-who are you?"

Her voice was soft, but fell on his large, pointed ears no better than a lilting hum. And to the young queen's increasing morbid intrigue, he hacked away at the ice with a single-minded fervor. He labored at the task, through heaving herculean effort. He still half-crouched in preparation, but stopped momentarily to grab his head. He must have still been hurting from the crash before. Her fascination overtook her senses, so much so that the claret red slowly gave way to the usual aqua glow.

"You're hurt. I can help you."

He paused. He eyed her.

"You can understand me, can't you?" She saw it, subtly, in the way he hesitated. There was something obviously wrong with the beast and she just needed to figure out what and how to fix it.

His stomach roiled as he inhaled her scent. If he fought, he could die. But the starving creature needed food. He needed to survive. So he answered with a growl. It was a high pitched growl, a cross between the squeak of a bat, and rumble of a tiger. That was the woman's only warning before he grabbed the edge of the hole and lurched through, this time dashing close to his reflection on the mirror floor. She thrust her hands forward, and pile of snow engulfed the beast. The snow shocked him, and for a few moments the silence was deafening. Then he burst from the pile in a flurry of white. She grabbed her dress again, skirting around the central fountain to try and get away while she tried to think of some way, anyway, to help. The glassy ice was hard across the beast's feet as he bolted. The rush of hormones and adrenaline kept his muscles going, even as his limbs grew stiff with cold, but he would not last much longer. Even in those few moments he had stilled, the shivers threatened to wrack his body. So he bounded after her, even as the sub-zero air filled his lungs with knives and his blood with ice.

She bounded for the steps of her precious ice palace, dashing up them towards the next level, never daring to look back. His limbs, normally beyond any normal human capabilities, had been strained for too long. He bound and leaped up the steps after her, each impact jarring him with pain. Until a misstep at the half-way point cost his balance. He slammed onto the staircase with a loud thud, bouncing right into a slide down the ice with a pained shout. The young queen stopped at the top of the staircase, and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes growing wide as she gazed down upon the fallen figure. But after his echoes died down, he did not get up.

The second sudden slam and overwhelming cold had effectively calmed the demon. Claws retracted, and ears shrunk to a human size and shape. His bare limbs were numb, where his hands and feet and face were exposed to the ice, and obvious hypothermia was starting to turn them gray. He quivered, and his breath was shaky and shallow.

Elsa gasped quietly as she watched the fallen figure almost transform. He wasn't moving. Oh no. Worry overcame her quickly and she made her way, cautiously, down the stairs again, approaching the fallen creature carefully. He had to be okay… Right? "Please… Please be okay…"

At the sound of clicking, hazed golden yellow eyes peered up deliriously. They flickered with confusion, throbbing mind sluggish as he tried to put the pieces together. Where…? So hungry… but couldn't move. Limbs like lead. The demon again? Couldn't…

She stared at his eyes in shock. They looked… more… human. His limbs, at least the ones that had been bared to the cold, were turning gray. Hypothermia was setting in and she knew that ended disastrously if it wasn't taken care of. "There has to be something I can do!" He seemed so young.

He was trying to tell her something. It was barely above a whisper. Her eyes widened further and she quickened her pace, reaching the boy's side in an instant and hesitantly crouching down next to him. He struggled for breath, and twisted his mouth to spit out the words, but the syllables were nonsensical, and mashed. Key…yo? Keyo skate?

"I'm sorry, I… I don't understand."

He blinked up at her, a spark of recognition at her words. And then: "Go." he croaked, voice barely managing above a whisper. "Get away… please…"

She looked over, surprised. He was obviously still out of it, but his words were very clear. And it was unsettling to hear them directed at her. "You need help. You need to warm up. You—You're not well."

He knew she wanted to help. His sluggish thought-process could at least comprehend that much. But his vision was hazy at the woman beside him. He thought her pale skin was from cold, and the glinting ice on her dress was from snow outside. He thought he could even see ice in her long hair. He assumed she was suffering from the cold like him.

"Y-you c-can't..." It was all her could do to tell her this much, the shivers starting to internalize. She couldn't help him with what he needed- he was a monster that wanted to take her life to sustain his own.

Elsa wasn't sure if there was any way she could actually help. But, at this point, she was willing to do whatever it took to help this boy survive. It would be her fault if he died because of the cold. The cold she created. But he seemed as determined to get her away as she was determined to help. "Please, just tell me what you need. I'll—I'll try and help." She didn't want another life on her already guilty conscience. His life meant more than hers right now.

"S-save yourself- l-l-leave me." Each word was painful in and of itself. But he had to convince her and make her see the danger. Even now, as she was next to him, the only reason he wasn't reaching out to grab a hold was because he couldn't feel his arm enough to use it anymore. "I-I- n-n-need—blood…"

He could feel her surprise more than see it. It would be impossible not to be stunned, when given such an answer. So he waited with relief once the burden was out. She would see the danger and leave. She wouldn't have to be sacrificed because of his hunger. She'd leave him to die, like he should have a long time ago, and worry about saving herself in this frozen wasteland.

"H-How much do you need… To feel better?"

…He was delirious. Hallucinating, dreaming, something. No one in their right mind would willingly let a demon eat any part of them. Yet his eyes started focusing on her wrists, pupils dilating in sheer need. She would just have to reach out, put it near his mouth and let his fangs sink in and- "I-I-" he half sobbed, disgusted with himself but unable to tear his eyes away from the promise of life. "I d-d-don't kn-know, I-…" He'd never suffered from hypothermia before while he was starving. If he waited too long the hunger was so strong he needed almost half a human's blood supply. Other times he just needed a few sips every few days, if he had a steady amount of food. "But… I-I can't… h-h-hold i-if it hu-hu-hurts..."

"Shh, shh. It's okay. It's okay." He needed to relax. Elsa smiled weakly, bringing one hand up to lightly brush it through his hair. "It'll be fine. I'm going to help you. You're going to be alright. Just—Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

The teen barely registered the touch to his head, sensation still numbed. But he could smell her skin. She was so gentle with him. Her presence was calming and reassuring, even though she was the one risking her safety to save a demon. And despite himself, he was prone to believe her.

The young queen pulled her hand back, stunned at herself for reaching out to touch him so carelessly. It had been automatic, as a small gesture of comfort. Whether for him or herself was hard to say. It was obvious the very idea of allowing this to happen frightened her to no end. But at the same time, the thought of being able to save at least one life… almost seemed worth the risk. She could recover if she allowed this to happen… couldn't she? But what if she couldn't. No. No. She had to do this. If she didn't he was going to die and he was so young. He had so much to live for. At least, that's what seemed to be the case to her. There was no backing down now. She would not allow herself to leave him this way. No matter how much pain was involved, which she deserved, she was going to save this boy's life.

'Are you an angel?' he thought deliriously. And though it sounded like a cheesy pick-up line, he meant it literally. Because he had met angels before. One of heaven, and one that had fallen. Right now this woman was reminding him of the guardian he had lost touch with. But right now that question wasn't important, because he was already exhausted, and his energy was already fading fast. He focused on his breathing, trying not to focus on the pain the icy air razed in his lungs. He tried to turn his hand to see if he'd be able to grab on, but all he could manage was the twitch. It was already stiff. He wouldn't be able to hold her. He'd have to trust her to hold still for him. "Wr-wrist…" He forced out. "J-just… keepp-p-p-p cuh-cuh-close…"

She could do this. She made herself comfortable on her knees next to him and listened to what he struggled to say. She nodded and moved to inch the elegant and intricate sleeve of her dress up enough so that her wrist was easily accessible. Just take a deep breath and let it happen. Exhaling softly from dark lips, she moved her wrist to his lips. Just keep close. No matter how much pain came, she couldn't stop him. Not until he was safely out of the danger zone. "Here. It'll be okay. Just do what you need to do."

Her scent was near pure intoxication as it neared his mouth, senses sparking with a little more life with hope so close to his grasp. He creaked open his jaw to try to catch the limb. He knew he should have warned her to hold still. Not for his sake, but because struggling actually made the pain worse. He knew from experience. But it was all he could do to get his jaw muscles working; to chomp down with his fangs and finally pierce skin. There was a sting, like she had just been pricked by a needle. Not even a second later, that sensation multiplied by 1000 and she tensed, breath hitching in her throat. She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out, only uttering a whimper instead. She had known it would hurt. But knowing still was not as good as actually feeling the pain.

Human blood did not taste pleasant. Not even to someone who needed it to survive. It was bitter and metallic, but it was warm. It wasn't scalding, but to someone near frozen to death it was borderline painful. Yet he welcomed the pain, the warmth sliding down his throat and filling his core. So long as the strange woman kept still, however, it was bearable. It was hard enough because he had to keep moving his mouth to try to get his mouth working. Despite his fears of the woman being in danger, he had to drink slowly. It was hard enough to breathe, let alone drink, and he had to actively concentrate to get it down.

She could almost feel her blood flow, causing the woman to shiver and her fingers to twitch like she wanted to pull her wrist away. No! She scolded herself. She had to stay. She had to endure the pain. She could feel her power bubble up and curled her fingers into a loose fist. She could not lose control. Not now.

'Conceal, don't feel. Don't let it show.'

Warmth from his throat seeped into his chest to relax his muscles, though the demon struggled with tiny sips until his jaw stopped quivering. The teen's hand finally managed to work again, but could barely mange to cradle the stranger's delicate wrist to his mouth; like holding a baby bird. She watched, with mild interest. He was gentle but she had a feeling it was only because he was still weak. His fingers were ice-cold, still stiff and barely touching, but they still craved the warmth of her skin. A mere thirty seconds, and he could drink no more, but not out of some sense of mercy or satisfaction. He had been starving, but his near-frozen system could only handle so much warm fluid at once. He was still too weak to feed properly, even for the little amount of blood he swallowed. She wouldn't even notice a difference. His fangs retracted, but he instinctively sucked off the remaining blood and licked the porcelain skin clean. So when he drew away, the evidence of his feed was already gone. He released her limb and panted from the effort, breath finally steaming in the cold like it should have

Elsa drew her wrist back and brushed her fingers over the skin. She was surprised to see there was no evidence of anything. No puncture marks from his fangs. His face was gaining a tiny bit more color, and his lips were stained with blood as he tried weakly to wipe at his mouth. Whatever it was he was doing, it was working. Elsa could see every little, minute detail as life seeped back into the boy. He was relaxing and he could move, if only a little. "Wow…" A whispered reaction to what she had just witnessed. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

He still trembled as he blinked away the frozen tears from his lashes to finally see clearly. For a moment he was caught up in her unexpected vitality. Pale skin, but rosy cheeks and nose. She was obviously alive and well, not freezing to death. Even with that dress.

"You… you saved me." he realized belatedly. His voice was still thick with strain, but his trembles were not enough to hamper his speech. "Why?"

She blinked when his voice pushed through the mess of thoughts in her mind, giving him a curious look. Why did she save him? "Because it was the right thing to do. And… because I wanted to. You needed me."

The boy was honestly stunned speechless for a few moments. A stranger that he knew instinctively that he had been chasing after, had somehow managed to shove away the terror of facing him and see a starving boy that needed saving. And then willingly put herself in danger to try to save his own life.

This woman was incredibly brave. "Thank you," he said earnestly. "I really owe ya one."

Elsa offered no words but a silent nod of her head, a little amazed at herself for what she had done. For one moment, she had forgotten everything she had done and willingly approached someone, even let them touch her. And though her power had acted up, she had managed to suppress it enough to be able to save this one, simple boy. Even after almost falling victim to his beastly actions. It was something that wouldn't happen often so it was best to take it for all it was worth.

He shifted his attention to get himself off the stair case- until he spotted his bare hands. "Where are my gloves?" Another shift and he craned his neck to stare down at his bare feet in clear bafflement, Elsa following his gaze in bemusement. "And my sh-shoes?" Though he asked this more to himself than her, though she was confused as well. It was foolish to wander around this desolate winter land without proper clothing. No wonder he was freezing. How had he lost them? He grunted and pushed to roll over stiffly, and his hand went to his head as the movement disoriented him, to Elsa's slight panic. "That's right… there was a c-castle…" he mused as the memories slowly returned. "I s-saw it, and- whoa…"

And then he stopped when he finally caught sight of the cathedral. His face appeared almost younger, a near child-like wonder as he took in the sight before him. "Is this whole place made of ice?"

Sleek sapphire blue walls stretched vertically into the Gothic arches, connected by rough, almost raw crystal cut aquamarine pillars. Yet the ceiling was what nearly took his breath away. The thick ice filtered the sunlight in a pale, aquamarine glow, where the snowflake pattern shone white. It was like a stained glass ceiling with only two colors, and the effect on the whole of the palace was simply marvelous. The ice palace was the only good thing she had created with her powers, aside from Marshmallow and Olaf. Speaking of those two snowmen, where had they wandered off to? She didn't really worry much for either of them. They may have been made of snow but they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. For now, Elsa had to focus on her current company. Soft giggles caught his attention and he craned his neck to peer up at her. She straightened with grace and poise, tucking her hands in front of her. "That's correct. This entire palace is made of ice. I—I created it."

"You?!" He leaned forward in shock, which shook a few locks of frost-laden hair into his face. He spluttered and hastily wiped away the ice with his stiff fingers before he scrutinized the woman more closely. His trembles were easier to ignore now that he had a focus. "So… you h-have ice powers…" His voice was rough, though speaking came easier as his vocal chords warmed again. He squinted one eye and cocked a brow skeptically. "You're not ab-bout to tell me you're the spirit of wh-whinter or anything are you?"

"Oh no. No. Believe me, I am no spirit. But I do have ice powers… unfortunately." Though there was great beauty in her power, there was also great danger. This eternal winter was more than enough to show for that. "These powers are the reason it's so cold. They're the reason everything is frozen. I have done some terrible things."

His almost comical suspicion melted slowly into uncertainty, and then his expression opened again in dawning disappointment. "W-wait hold on, that means… you're the Snow Queen?"

She flinched from the question, turning away. "Is that what they've taken to calling me, out there?"

He didn't answer right away. It only made sense that this winter that he had been trapped in for days, and the frozen people and animals that "inhabited" the land like macabre ice sculptures would be created by a person immune to cold who lived in a castle of ice on the mountainside. "But…" He tilted his head up, eyes almost pleadingly her to tell him he was wrong. "I don't understand. You seem so nice. Why are you doing all this?"

He never imagined it from a beautiful human woman that had willingly tried to save him. He found it hard to connect the warmth of her blood he still remembered with the "ice curse" that had taken over the land.

"I—" Her expression only grew sadder. "I didn't mean to do it. I—I couldn't control my powers. I was afraid. And Anna and the people… So many people." She stood up, gripping at her head, her mood causing the palace to react, the crystalline ice walls darkening from their beautiful blue to a solemn yet still beautiful purple. The sudden change alarmed him for a moment, thinking that it was some sort of magic spell about to shake the palace walls. But when things remained calm, and her display, his fears dissipated."I've been trying to find some way to fix it. B-But no matter what I d-do… Nothing changes." Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her head bowing, eyes slowly closing. "Everyone and everything I ever loved is gone… I'm alone in a frozen wasteland I created… No one is safe here."

It wasn't pity that shone in the youth's eyes at her incredible confession, but his heart clenched painfully in his chest as her words struck a little too close to home. If she had looked at him, she would have seen that flicker of recognition, that flash of empathy that showed in his eyes. Now he understood why she had helped him even in the face of danger.

"…But I am." He replied softly. "Maybe you hurt others, but… when it really counted, you saved me. That… that takes real guts. And a good heart. And right now I…" He laughed weakly. "I couldn't leave even if I wanted. I… still might need a little help." he admitted, and he looked up at her. "I can't do this on my own."

In his defense, he still didn't know about this woman's powers or how exactly they worked. He wasn't sure how they were controlled, or how much "danger" he was really in. All he knew was that there was a soul in front of him that had been suffering like he had, these long, agonizing months, and he wanted- no, needed to give her a bit of hope. When his words reached her, the woman paused, head slowly lifting, eyes opening again. Slowly, she turned, glancing over her shoulder at him. While his words rang true, Elsa still could not convince herself it was alright. But she steeled herself. He still needed her help.

Approaching him, she released the hug she had on herself and glanced down at her hands. What could she possibly do to help him now? She looked down at him, still on the ground and extended her hands, reaching out for him. He smiled at her responding to him, and reached out a hand to meet her. But she hesitated quickly, stopping herself when she was about a foot away from him, pulling her hands back. She was afraid to touch him, for fear of freezing him too. "But I… What can I possibly do to help you now?"

His smile flickered, but he let his hand fall without comment. No doubt she was hesitant to give him her wrist for risk of him feeding again. He understood the process was painful and frightening, and did not hold it against her. Instead he grabbed a hold of the rail with both hands, took another breath and grunted as he pulled his body to sit up. Watching him as he helped himself up, due to her selfishness and hesitance, she frowned. He really was in horrible shape. He sighed shakily, and cradled one hand to his head as his vision went swimming from the effort.

"I need my stuff." He choked out, and he scanned the floors for any sign of his items. But he only saw his claw marks, the snow and empty space. He sighed once, regretfully. "Looks like I ruined your castle. Sorry about this."

"Don't worry about it," she assured quickly. "It… was already in bad shape before you got here."

"I had my stuff when I was outside, but then I saw this place, and… I blacked out." He realized, lowering his hand from his head as he put the pieces together. "I must've dropped everything and-"

He stopped, not wanting to go into detail. Because he didn't want to describe how he had probably caught her scent, and heard her heartbeat, and how it had driven his basic survival instincts to the forefront. How had had turned into a predator to hunt her down. Looking at his feet, and hands, he realized he must have taken them off in his state so that he had a higher chance of stalking, and an easier time with the chase. She noticed how he cut himself off and gave a curious look, but didn't question it.

"…I can't really control my powers either." He said instead, and when he peered back up, it was with a wry smile. "Thing is that when they take over I can't even remember myself. I turn into… well." He turned away, peering solemnly down the steps where his white feet settled on the blue ice. "You saw. It's a good thing I was already half frozen. Not everyone's been as lucky as you."

"It sounds like it's difficult to deal with for you." She knew that feeling well. She smiled weakly and lowered down next him again. "Have you… always been that way?"

A slow shake of his head, before he leaned against the railing. "No. I was h-human, but I was attacked. Killed, and turned into this. When I came back, I tried to go see my family, but I was… hungry." The word felt like bile in his mouth, and he shut his eyes. "Maru- my dog- he knew something was wrong, so he fought me off before I attacked. It's been a year since then. It f-feels like a lot longer."

He was shaking again, but this time not from cold. He could feel that familiar rush of images and emotions from dredging up the sensitive topic. Regardless, he pulled in his hands to hold them close, and tried to pull in his legs to bring them closer to his body. 'Stay calm. You're okay. You're here.'

Elsa listened, resting an elbow on her knees and her cheek in her hand. They were similar, in a sense. They were both cursed with something they didn't quite understand. And now they were both without friends or family. Two peas in a pod. "I used to be really close with my sister, Anna when we were kids. We used to play all the time. Anna would wake me up early in the morning and tell me to 'do the magic'. She was always fascinated by my powers.

"But like all good things, it had to come to an end." She sighed, eyes narrowing at the memory."Anna woke me up in the morning like usual and we both ran downstairs to the grand ballroom in the Castle. Anna was all 'do the magic, do the magic'. So I did. Everything was going well until… until—Anna was using ice pillars to hop around on. Every time she jumped I would create another pillar for her to land on. But then she started to go faster and faster until… I struck her in the head with my powers."

She remembered Anna falling and remembered how, when she reached her sister, a white streak formed in her hair. "I was so upset that I ended up freezing the entire ballroom before our parents showed up…" She stopped there and carefully stood up again. She would halt the story there for now. "I need to go and find your things before you freeze on me. What have you lost?"

The boy didn't even realize he was leaning closer to listen. Until she stopped it abruptly and he hung his head. "Man, just when it was getting good… I h-had gloves, and boots." He answered. "And a few bags too, with all my s-stuff. Just need the small one. It's probably still on the s-sled."

"I'll be right back."

She practically glided across the floor, and he called his thanks after her. She pulled open the double doors and stepped outside. The moment she vanished, the boy groaned out in relief and clutched at his head. "Aaaahtch tch tch…"

Maybe he should put ice on it. Least they had plenty of it. The thought almost made him laugh, as he blinked away his pained tears. He looked after the closed double doors in silence, contemplating this unexpected turn of events. This couldn't be right. The Snow Queen was supposed to be some cruel, heartless witch made of ice or something. That was what the witch had said, that was what he had come to expect, after seeing the tortured faces frozen in this eternal winter.

Was she lying to him? He couldn't tell for sure.

All he knew was that this wasn't part of the deal.

* * *

Okay, need a slight disclaimer here:  
This story was originally created a while back (last year) in a roleplay a friend and I started up. So technically, this would be an AU crossover, but since the other series is barely mentioned, it hardly counts at this point. So yes, hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and look forward to writing!


	2. The Curse

"What'd I ever do to you?"

Ambassadors, dignitaries, Lords, Ladies, Dukes, and royalty that could afford to leave their posts, watched in stunned silence. The grand ballroom was bright, colorful, festive, and completely still, and the newly crowned young queen could feel her shoulders falling under the weight of the stares." _Enough_ , Anna."

"No, _why_?" She demanded desperately, and Elsa could feel her anger and fear rising within her as she tried to retreat. "Why do you shut me out- why do you shut the _world_ out- What are you so afraid of?!"

"I said _**ENOUGH**_!"

Her power swung in a deadly arch across the lacquered wood. Gasps filled the room and the crowd leaped back as though a single unit in horror from the crystal stalagmites threatening to pierce them. Elsa's horror gave way to pain, as the weight of her single mistake struck her heart as suddenly as her blast.

"Sorcerery!" The Duke whispered from behind his guard.

The pang in her heart grew sharper, finally locking eyes with her stunned sister.

"Elsa…"

"It's spreading!"

Gasps of alarm spread like wildfire, all eyes locked on the edges of the arc of spires. The frost inched out in tiny bursts of blue, each fractal flicker growing on top of each other to gain ground.

"It's going to take the castle and freeze us all!" The Duke screeched in horror. "Everybody run!"

Pandemonium. The ball room became a blur of color and limbs and a cacophony of screams. as everyone sprinted to the exits on the other side. The new queen stepped back, gaping down at her slippers as the crackle of ice rippled from her toes.

"Elsa- nngh- oof!" One- two guests caught Anna in the current before she could right herself and lunge for the ring. "Elsa, wait-"

"Anna, no!" The new man- Prince Hans was his name- grabbed her arm to halt her. "We have to get out of here, it's too dangerous!"

"But Hans-"

But Elsa was already gone; through the hall, to the courtyard, where she could hope to flee. She burst into the courtyard, and to her dismay, the whole town cheered her in greeting, as finely dressed as her subjects could afford. She faltered, glancing down at the end of her skirt. The wobbling, glowing blue ring expanded from under the thick material, and she grabbed at it to dart down the steps.

"What is that?"

A woman gasped in shock at the flowering ice from the queen's steps, but the cheers did not lessen. The crowd gave a respectful berth to their queen and bowed as custom dictated. Which finally let them see the ice spreading across the cobblestone. The cheers teetered out from confusion, so that the Duke of Wesleton's voice cut clear across the night air from the massive double oak doors.

"Stop her!"

The Queen halted in her retreat. "Stay away from me!" She held her hands up to halt pleadingly. "Please just-!" A burst of white surged from her hands and splattered across the entry way.

And caught the Duke's legs along with it.

The temperature plummeted, even as the crowd gasped in shock, though none were as loud as the girlish shriek as the Duke gaped down at his frosted trousers clinging to his legs. The guards were only just behind him, gawking at their leader's legs encased in frosty white.

"Well don't just stand there, do something!" He shrieked. "Before I-"

He stopped when he caught sight of a tiny white flake fluttering in front of his nose. The crowd shared his bafflement as they looked to the overcast sky. But the queen's horrified face remained fixated on his legs. He followed her line of sight, only to see that, like the arc of ice in the throne room, the ice was magically spreading up the material of his trousers. His eye twitched behind his monocle, before screaming bloody murder. The queen jumped, gawking at her trembling hands as panic seized her. It was enough to make her desperate, and she flung her ungloved hand out to try to save him. For the first time in over a decade, she concentrated her full attention into her powers, and a beam of vaporous ice engulfed the magistrate's legs. He keened and threw his arms over himself. But the ice had stopped its progression. The Queen sharpened her gaze, trying to tighten her control. It had stopped. She was stopping it and holding it _back_! She had to pull it back, she _had_ to!

"She's going to freeze him!"

"She'll freeze us all!"

"Everyone run!"

Chaos. More flakes fell as screams erupted from every side. It deafened her and sent sharp spikes of panic through her. As the temperature dropped, the wind stirred. And the ice on the dignitary inched up. She clutched at her wrist with her gloved hand, as though attempting to steady it.

' _No, no, don't feel, don't feel, don't-!_ '

Elsa grit her jaw, trying to block out the screams in her ears, but unable to block his flailing and shrieking for help and mercy. Her eyes went bright with panic, and she flicked between his shrieking face and her deadly ice slipping from her grasp to claim him. The sharp gust whipped her cloak with a flourish, and threatened to pull her braid free, flinging wisps of her bangs into her eyes.

"Stop!" She tried to cry out over the noise. "Everyone, _please_ just-" the gust whistled as it scourged the walls of the courtyard. Hundreds of feet stomped across the stone as bodies fell to the floor in their mad stampede, and she squeezed her eyes shut in her frantic attempt to block out the fear it stirred in her heart. " _Just_ -!" But every scream, every stomp, every call for help pressed against her, and threatened to fray every tiny string holding her sanity together. The courtyard went white in the flurry. Until she finally exploded.

"Just- _**STOP**_!"

And now, days later, the giant glacial roof arched a league across the kingdom. Dark clouds swirled just under the opaque slate, as a remnant of the terror the Snow Queen had felt not moments before. But the snow had stilled in an all encompassing silence; the kind that could only come from a winter of solitude. The high mountain peaks, and sea of pines bore the flawless white power dutifully, and from afar, the distant village of the _fjord_ sat quietly in wait, like a perfect little toy town frosted for Christmas. The kingdom of Arendelle was a beautiful, perfect, life-sized snow globe.

Trapping the cursed figurines of ice within.

The dome was meters thick, near impossible to penetrate by mortal means. Which just begged the question: had the poor boy come in after? Or had he always been hiding in the shadows of her kingdom, and the only one sturdy enough to survive the curse? Whatever the answer, for now, she just wanted him to live.

Elsa was surprised at the calm when she stepped out. Despite her scare moments before, she felt oddly content, as mirrored by the stillness outside. There was a lacquered sleigh several feet from the bottom of the staircase, with a smaller beige sled about four meters long, tied behind it. Brown leather sacks settled on the back, with several blankets and what seemed to be a fur rolled up on the side. She stepped down the glassy staircase, but paused from the sudden vertigo. She grabbed at the rail, gingerly touching her head as she took deep, slow breaths. Another spell. She'd been feeling faint lately. And that chase and scare hadn't helped any. She had to hurry before she wore out completely. That boy in her palace was counting on her.

So she kept one hand on the rail and took slow, careful steps until she reached the bottom. Clear boot prints trailed up the mountainside between the sled's tracks, making it obvious he had dragged it behind him. But from the sled to the stairwell, two mittens lay scattered on the snow, carelessly tossed aside. The boots had also been tossed aside, but when the prints turned into bare foot prints, the claw marks elongated the toes and focused on the ball of the foot, making them appear more like a four-legged creature than a human. There was also a fur-lined cap, and ear muffs tossed back, just shy of the edge of the cliff.

It was clear that the boy had been quick to shed the garments and stalk the staircase up to the palace. She narrowed her eyes for a moment to scrutinize, before she turned back to her task. Spotting the scattered garments and boots, the blonde quickly made her way over to the fallen mittens, scooping them up and then moving to grab the boots and cap and ear muffs that was teetering far too close to the edge of the cliff than she liked. Then she made her way to the sled and set them all down, taking a deep breath and gazing at her hands for a moment. Focus.

Closing her eyes, she held her hands out towards the sled, trusting her powers to lift it into the air. To try and focus better, she held her breath. The sleigh creaked and teetered as it began to respond to her powers. But then it flopped back into the snow, sinking down nearly two feet as she gasped for breath. No good. She was too exhausted. She eyed the sleigh worriedly, until she noted the much smaller beige sled still tied to the sleigh. Her large eyes brightened in understanding. Of course, it was the smaller one that had everything he'd need. She just needed to pull _that_ one into her palace.

The knot was complicated. And for all of Elsa's royal education and knowledge, she fumbled and tugged at the rope fruitlessly, and finally flung her hands down with a huff of frustration. She shot her hand onto the rope, instantly freezing it and breaking it with a twist of her wrist. She was exhausted and in a hurry, she could be allowed a little impatience. She picked up the rope and dragged her load around the larger sleigh to the base of the staircase. Which, for the first time since she created it, felt positively daunting.

She grimaced awkwardly, and let the rope drop with a sigh. Yeah, this wasn't going to work. "If it was smooth, _maybe_ I could push-" She blinked suddenly down at her hands. She tittered breathlessly, glad no one was around to see her embarrassment. She cleared her throat to get a hold of herself. "Right," and flicked her wrist toward the palace doors. A thin sheet of frosty glass flowed up the staircase to even out the steps. She stepped back, content with her handy work, and regarded the small sled. She could not push it _directly_ , But maybe if she could build a buffer…

She stepped behind the sled, flicking her fingers to summon a short crystal wall just behind the small structure. Easy enough. Alright, focus… She pulled her hands back, and eased them forward, releasing a stream of frigid air. It blasted against the clear crystal and shoved the sled forward. The runners carried it smoothly across the snow, and seamlessly onto the ice-ramp. She narrowed her eyes, and increased the pressure, finally pushing the sled on its way to the palace, where its owner waited.

From his place on the staircase, the youth breathed into his hands, flexing his fingers, and trying to rub some feeling back into his legs. But his eyes kept trailing over the broken sleet that led to the west wing, the pile of snow beside the crystal fountain, the gouges in the once flawless glass floor, and even the pricks and scratches on the thin steps that led to where he sat.

Because as he looked over the damage in full, his heart sank realizing this _had_ to be a trick.

He chased her down, hunted her like prey, and she let him live. Worse, she was being nice to him and _helping_ him. No normal person would even _associate_ with a thing like him, let alone someone who had seen his true nature. And she had every capability of finishing him off. He had seen it first hand, that first day he'd arrived here and been flung into the depths of this frozen hell. When the frigid gusts felt like they were cutting off his face and ears, and shivers seized him so strongly he could barely urge himself to trudge through the thick snow. There were so many doors, so many houses iced over with snow like dripping frosting on gingerbread houses. But to his wonder, they weren't separated in the manner he was used too. Instead they appeared as long buildings, all connected together. The picture was so quaint, so charming, so _surreal_ he felt like he'd stepped into a painting or onto one of those miniature town sets for Christmas. But the ambience reminded him of the reality. For a boy that could hear a heartbeat from half a block away, the sudden marching, ongoing, encompassing _silence_ was actually unnerving.

Not a heartbeat.

Not a skittering creature.

Not a single breath of life in this entire town.

He forced himself to breathe deeply, and released it in a slow misty puff. Well, he'd asked for a place with no people, or fire. He had certainly gotten his wish. Still, this felt a little excessive.

" **Maaaan, I** _ **hate**_ **the cold!** " he whined in his first language, rapidly rubbing down his arms. In a time that felt like a lifetime ago, he would have bounded happily through the streets, blazing headfirst through the ice and snow. But no longer human, he wasn't quite so, well, hot-blooded.

But he was here on a mission, even as the very air cut like razors in his lungs. So he plowed down the streets, marching to keep his shoes from sinking too deep into the snow. His objective was simple: find the Snow Queen, steal her crown, and kill her, right through the heart. He had no idea why the witch wanted the crown, but he didn't know a lot of things in the magical world, so left it alone. And if he had to take another life? … it didn't matter. He was already a monster. At least this time he'd be using his power for good.

First he had to figure out where to find her, and fast. And… just what these strange piles of snow on the side of the street were. If his hands weren't already cold, he'd have brushed them off to see. But he kept his hands close, and golden eyes peeled as he marched on, until he spotted a tower and spire from above one of the long, white covered rooftops.

" **Of** _ **course**_ **…** " he realized breathlessly, and his face broke out into a smile. " **She's** _ **gotta**_ **be in a castle! Where else would a 'snow queen' be?** "

Thank goodness it didn't look far. The faster he got this over with, the sooner he could retreat somewhere warm. Encouraged, he picked up the pace. Though even in his hurry, he could not help the pause when he turned a corner to marvel at the magnificent statue of the rearing horse.

" **Whoa…** " He had always been a sucker for hero stories and gallant deeds, so could not help stepping closer to see it. It was a horse and his rider, with the steed reared high and tall, and the male rider holding onto the reigns. A classic hero pose. And with the detail of the rider's clothes, and the horse's saddle, it was clear this was meant to depict nobility, or even royalty.

But it was when he focused on the rider's face that something stirred uneasily in his gut. He frowned lightly, squinting at the wide eyes and grimacing mouth. He didn't… look "brave" or "focused" or "determined". He looked sort of… scared. Shocked. Frantic. And so did the horse.

Okaaaaaaay… _creepy_ statue. He stepped back, continuing down his trek, and trying not to let the sudden sense of foreboding weigh him down. Even as he passed the shops, and more of those strange lumps of snow on the side of the street. But when he arrived to the bridge, he halted, that uneasy feeling creeping back to grip his heart. Because in the middle of the bridge, was another statue. This time of a girl.

The youth swallowed nervously, pushing down his hesitation as he approached. His eyes remained on the girl's face, trying vainly to make it out past the snow piled on her head. When he approached, he saw that she towered over him nearly half a foot, and that she was dressed in finery just like the male rider he'd just passed. She looked like she'd just come out of a ball or something. But she was slanted in a forward stumble, and holding her hands to her chest in a curled pose. Like she… like she was _cold_.

The boy didn't know what possessed him, or what sudden need had made him reach up to brush the snow off her head and shoulders. All he knew was that he was nearly breathless when her expression came to light. Her large eyes were pained, and desperate, with a longing gaze in the distance, like… like she was looking after someone.

Like, say, a man on a horse.

The youth dropped his hand and gasped sharply, bright golden yellow eyes wide as a thought so terrible struck him that he could hardly stomach it. He turned to peer down the bridge, and took off for the gate as fast as his legs could plow through the snow. He kept his eyes fixed on the doors ahead, even when the brilliant white hurt his nocturnal vision. The frigid air stabbed his side as he gulped it down, but he cleaved through the shallow drifts until he finally reached the gate. He had to grab a hold of door to hold up his exhausted self and white misty puffs nearly clouded his vision. But what lied within the walls banished his exhaustion from his concerns. Against his better judgment, the boy stepped inside, the crunch of snow disturbing the cursed place since the first time the snow was cast. There were dozens of people within the walls, running, jumping, tumbling, falling, crawling over each other in a frenzied attempt to reach the walls.

And every single one of them was frozen in time.

The blood sucking demon walked as though in a daze, struck speechless as the whole of the scene pressed in on him. The ice encased them like armor, spires of ice growing from them like snow masses under the mercy of a cruel unforgiving gale of ice and snow. Men, children, even women holding babes- all of their faces were stuck in wide screams and grimaces of pain. There were two fountains near the middle of the courtyard also encased in ice, with spires like the wind had whipped them. The whole ice formation seemed to come from a single spot.

Such as this one in the center, as a matter of fact.

He halted, golden eyes wide as he started processing the scope of the task he was undertaking. Blinking slowly, he lifted his eyes upward. The dome of ice pressed down upon him, and despite the miles between the ground and ceiling, he breathed hard as he suddenly felt claustrophobic. For here, directly under the starting point of the globe, was a giant snowflake shimmering down at him. And the witch's once cryptic words struck him suddenly with crystal clarity.

" _I do know one place. It's a land cursed by a queen. All of her subjects are trapped in an eternal winter."_

" _But I don't want_ _any_ _people, don't you get that? I don't want to hurt anybody else. Not ever again."_

" _Don't worry. You won't. They'll be safe from you."_

" **Now I get it**." He murmured to himself. " **She didn't send me here to lift the curse."** He smiled wryly **. "She sent me here to die**."

The queen grunted as she pulled the sled in behind her. "Here you go, I hope I got everything."

He blinked suddenly from his reverie, almost gaping guiltily. Until he caught sight of the sled, then the boy did a double-take. "Did _you_ just-?"

But she powered through, stunned at how exhausting it was just pulling this thing behind her. By the time she finally placed it in front of the staircase she was already winded, even as she climbed up the staircase to meet him.

The supernaturally gifted creature gaped from the petite, delicate looking woman, to the heavy, burdened sled. There was no way she was physically strong enough to carry that big thing up the stairs into her castle. Maybe she was, uh, secretly super strong. Elsa tipped her head curiously at his noticeable surprise of her bringing him his sled. Perhaps he had thought she would only bring what was on it?

"Uh… T-Thanks, again- … uh.. M-miss…?"

She hesitated, before finally deciding on her name. "Elsa, please."

"Elsa." He affirmed to himself. " **Sky**."

The word sounded strange to her, like his lips hadn't matched what came out of his mouth. Elsa blinked dubiously, squinting at him. " _What_?"

"Sooooo _ra_ ," he repeated, slowing to exaggerate his lip movement. "My name."

"Sora?" She repeated it to herself. Maybe she just misheard him last time. "You have an unusual name."

"Yeeeeah, well, I'm not really from around here," he cleared his throat quickly. "You got even more than I expected."

She smiled a tad sheepishly, nodding her head. "I thought it best to bring everything. Just in case."

"Y-yeah, you're probably right…" Originally, he brought it so that he'd had a place to sleep that wasn't directly on the snow, when he was camping out. And now, in this palace of pure ice, it gave him the option of an elevated bench. Ice stairs weren't exactly a great option to someone staving off hypothermia. Too bad even a few steps down appeared a harrowing task. Sitting up was one thing, "walking" down was another. He wondered if his legs would even support him at this point.

He blinked rapidly and gently shook his head. No, he couldn't think like that. They _had_ to. He grabbed at the rail, taking a breath and hoisting himself to stand. The stiff soles of his feet met the ice, and stayed strong under his weight, but Elsa held her breath when she thought she saw him wobble. The task was almost embarrassingly difficult, but Sora _did_ notice that it was not as impossible as he feared. His knees bent and his muscles were finally supporting him properly. The blood he had taken was finally seeping into his system, refilling his veins and lubricating his joints. He murmured something under his breath she did not catch, before he lifted a foot to set it on the stair below him. And now that she focused on them, Elsa could see his toes frosted blue. And in the vast expanse of her ice palace, she heard the audible click of his foot touching the ice. His knuckles were even whiter, and he gripped the rail desperately. Suddenly, seeing him balancing on one foot seemed so incredibly nerve wracking that she reached out quickly when she saw him sway. They were nearly solid… how could he hope to balance like that? He halted, regarding her unsurely, and she stopped.

"Sorry," She pulled her hands in, wringing them worriedly. "Are… you going to be alright?"

Sora wanted to give an enthusiastic 'I'll be fine!' in response. But the truth was… as gazed down the slope of his journey, the floor of the palace suddenly felt very, _very_ far away. Maybe he could technically do it if he really, _really_ tried, but…

"…Can you help me down?" He finally asked in slight embarrassment. "I can get my stuff out, but…"

His question caused that slight unease to arrive again. But leaving him to attempt to do it himself seemed like it would easily have disastrous consequences. Could she trust herself enough to touch him without fear of freezing him?

"I—Okay." Taking a deep breath, she stepped down a couple steps ahead of him, and turned to meet him. She took another few moments to prepare and steel herself before she reached out her hands to him for him to take. "We'll take it slow… I don't need you to fall on me. You look like you've been through enough as it is."

He might have blushed, if he had enough strength for that. Elsa wondered if she should provide him with fire to help warm him. But how? She didn't have the power of fire and she wasn't sure he had the equipment he needed to make one. Whatever the case, the priority right now was helping him to his sled so he could put on his things again. The boy contemplated the stairs and her thin frame, and took a breath to steel himself. He leaned over to grab her hands. As soon as she felt his hands in hers, she took hold of them, biting lightly down on her lip at the skin to skin contact. Don't freeze him. Don't freeze him. She chanted quietly in her head, doing her best to keep her expression sober and unreadable. Taking another steadying breath, he shared a look with her, and gave her a quick nod to signal his ready. She nodded as well before she took a careful step backwards, guiding him as he stepped down. He tested the weight, and he still could not feel his foot, but at least the shaking leg was standing.

Her hands were growing colder and she knew exactly what that meant. Don't feel. Don't feel. You can do this. The staircase felt arduously long, but she took each one in careful slowness, constantly talking to herself in her head while keeping her eyes directly on Sora's face. Maybe if she looked at him, she could focus more and he would be less at the risk of getting frozen solid. "You're doing fine. We can do this." She was saying it to assure him just as much as herself.

Sora wouldn't have been able to see the emotions flickering across his savior's face if he tried. His eyes were glued to the stairs to observe his steps. His hands weren't shaking, an indicator of the lack of motor functions. But his arms were prickling painfully, which meant that he was on the right track. Good, just a little more…

His hands were like ice already. At her encouragement, he forgot to breathe and took another couple ginger steps down. He released the breath he'd been holding, and took another moment to breathe. He smiled and glanced up at her. "Almost there," he joked, before returning his attention down, and lowering his foot again.

That was their journey, and quite possibly the longest six minutes of their short lives. This reminded her of when Anna was growing up. As the older sister, it was Elsa's job to protect her and help her whenever she needed it- even if those chances were few and far between. She could see Anna in this boy in that moment, and it almost made her forget everything that had happened. It almost made her happy. Just over halfway down, Sora's anxiety eased. While she wasn't strong, her balance, and patient guidance helped carry him down the steps. But in his concentration on his feet, he noticed her knee poking out of the slit of her dress every time she stepped back with her other foot. He had already noticed she was thin, but it was not until now he saw that her knee was alarmingly bony.

He missed the edge of the step and slipped with a squeak, and Elsa jerked to catch him. Unfortunately, her power reacted to such a startle, and seeped into his hands, lightly frosting the skin. But she didn't notice. She was much too focused on his face. Which was wide-eyed as he looked at her guiltily. "S-Sorry…"

"It's alright," she offered a smile, as strained as it was. "At least you didn't fall."

"Right…" He laughed nervously before refocusing on his own lower extremities. That had been much too close.

But, luckily, they reached the icy floor without incident, and there was no more risk of falling down the stairs. She guided him to the sled and dropped her now freed hand to her side, keeping her other gripping his own until he was safely on the sled. "That was close."

"Maybe, but at least we made it," the youth pointed out with relief, and he dragged himself onto the wood until he was finally off the floor. He released her hand, just as he noticed his limb lacking in response. When Elsa felt his hand leave hers, she noticed something was off as well. With cautious suspicion, he brought his hands for closer inspection, and he recoiled from surprise. Her eyes widened when she saw the frost on his hands. "Oh no," she breathed, leaning over nervously and riveted for any sign of spreading. He turned his hands over to better see the powdery white sheet over his fingers. He turned to her questioningly, her warning words of lack of control coming back to haunt him. She took a step back and glanced down at her own hands, face twisted in shame. And the familiarity of her expression made something in him clench painfully.

"Elsaaaaaa!" He whined obnoxiously, making her blink in surprise and look at him. "Now I can't get my boots ooooon." He pinched his brow, pursed his lips, the whole nine yards. With his frosted hands he pushed one boot toward her pointedly. "Make it better," he demanded childishly.

A small smile made its way onto her face again and she stepped forward, kneeling down in front of him and taking one of his boots into her hands. "Give me your foot. Let's get these back on."

His childish pout blossomed into a smile when he saw her relief, scooting his legs over the edge of the sled to place them in front of her. Now that he had seen it in action, he could not help but believe her innocence- at least of intention. Besides, how could he possibly hold it against her when his control wasn't much better? If there was one thing Sora was good at doing, it was spreading a little light, when needed.

His stout feet were larger than average, especially for a guy as short as him. And right now of course, they were stark white, and violently shivering. Looking down at his foot, she tried not to focus too much on the obvious symptoms. He was a lot colder than she originally thought and the fact that it had taken them this long to actually tend to it didn't help at all.

"Hurry up." He complained, and rocked his foot pointedly. "I don't have all day." He liked to see her smiling, even annoyed at him in joking. It was a perfect distraction to the fear he knew was lurking inside of her. Better to be annoyed at him, then afraid for his sake.

She quickly moved to put his boot on. Once she had done so, she made to do the same with the other, grabbing for it. "I'm sorry for… all the trouble I've caused you. I hadn't meant for any of this to happen, or for you to get caught up in it." Shaking her head, she pushed his second boot on and laced it up as well, using it to try and distract herself from looking at his face. When she was done, she placed her hands in her lap, sighing.

His joking smile faltered, and he deflated a little in disappointment at her apology. He had been hoping to distract her from the alarming sight but he forgot for others it wasn't so easy to make light of. "That's not your fault. I came here myself." He admitted.

Regardless of what he said, she knew it was her fault for the sheer fact that there was winter… in summer. Her hands reached up and started to tug on her braid nervously, as if the action would calm her down while she slowly lifted her head to peek up at him again. But he wasn't looking at her, instead reaching for his ear muffs to slip onto his head. Once the fuzzy warm tufts were properly protecting his ears again, he pulled one of the sacks to him, clumsily hooked one of his fingers into the string to pull it open. "Which one was it…?" He murmured to himself as he peeked in. An assortment of wrapped loaves, jerky, carrots, cheeses, small containers of pudding and frozen meats bundled up in the bag. "No, not that one."

But Elsa whipped onto her knees, holding onto the edge of the sled as she peered into the bag. Sora jumped as he blinked at her. Her thin lips rounded to an "o", with her eyes round in wonder. "You have _food_?"

"Uh… yeah. Brought some up before I climbed up here," he explained, though she was so fixated on the pile he doubted she heard. She licked her lips and swallowed as her fingers curled like she was holding back an itch. "You hungry?"

She finally turned to face him at the question, and he almost laughed. Her round eyes and slack jaw suddenly made her look younger, with a mixture of guilt and eagerness and pleading that made her look like a child salivating over her favorite piece of cake.

He would have laughed, if he hadn't noticed her alarmingly bony frame before. "Help yourself."

Her hand darted for the bag, and he jumped as he watched Elsa devour the loaf of bread she had just snatched. She chomped eagerly, barely chewing before gulping it down. She grabbed a piece of cheese midway, biting through it as she shoved it into her mouth. It was as he watched the crumbs fly, and the girl reach for some jerky, that he realized this palace, as splendid as it was, was also… empty. And far, far away from any easy food source. Which… was sort of important if you were human, as she obviously was.

"When's the last time you ate?"

"I dummo," she put a hand over her mouth to hold in the food, and hide the chewed food from sight. "Two're three weeks?" She was too focused on grabbing a piece of jerky to think back that far.

"Jeez," Sora winced. "No wonder."

Ironically, he had finished a meal not that long ago, so as far as human food was concerned, he was satisfied. And he _would_ have been satisfied just letting her eat her fill as he bundled up, if she hadn't started coughing suddenly. "Ah, hold on!" He reached down to the canteen tied at his waist, and held it out for her. "Here. Jeez, slow down, you'll make yourself sick."

Too worried about the sudden piece of bread stuck in her throat, she gratefully took the container and uncapped it to down the contents. He eyed her worriedly, before his eyes trailed inevitably down to her bobbing throat. It undulated and contracted loudly to his sensitive ears, even through the muffs. His pupils dilated as they trailed over the slender curve of her naked shoulder, and the delicate path of her collar bone. The wafting scent of _human_ hit him hard and summoned his fangs behind his closed lips.

She finally lowered the canteen with a gasping sigh of relief as she recapped it. "Thank you," She said to him. She self-consciously wiped the water and crumbs from her mouth, then stopped when she noticed the look on his face. "Sora?"

He breathed fast, and shallow, tucking his clawed hands under his armpits through his thick coat. "Elsa, you have to go. Now." He turned away quickly. "You have to get away from me."

Her expression slowly grew from curious to concerned and then to realization of what was going on. "Get away from you?" Was he— Was it— She bit her lip and carefully stood up, stepping back a bit so she wasn't so close to him, watching him carefully as she pressed herself to the wall behind her.

His stomach roiled, and his mouth watered. Now that his hands were frosted over again, the urge was stronger. Her heels echoed against the icy rink, and he already felt his heartbeat quicken. "You should go somewhere I can't smell you. And… barricaded." He advised.

Somewhere he couldn't smell her? But how far would she have to go in order to do so? She did not like the thought of leaving him on his own like this but she didn't want to upset him by staying when he had asked her to go. Should she go to the top level of the palace? Would it be safe enough there? At least there she could still be close to him but not too close, hopefully. She started back up the stairs, never taking her eyes off of the brunet sitting on the sled nearby.

He reached for his gloves. They were actually mittens, much easier to bundle up with. He scooped them up with his hands awkwardly and placed them in his lap, before lifting each one to his mouth, and grabbing at the edges with his teeth- his now unsheathed and elongated fangs-, and shoving his hands into them, one by one. Because even if he was hungry, his limbs were still too weak to carry him. It was better to get her away now, before he recovered.

She wanted to say something but couldn't find the words to say. By the time she reached the next level, her expression was sad. The poor boy. With a deep sigh, she backed herself through a doorway and then headed up the next set of stairs, finally taking her eyes away from Sora to do so. She really did want to help him but she wasn't sure how.

He would have loved for her to stay, and enjoy her company a while longer. But Sora knew this was necessary. The farther she stayed from him, the more she was safe. But what he had forgotten, was that it was only when he was with someone else that he could remember the joy. To bring the light, and keep up the laughter.

When he was alone, the darkness came.


End file.
